The first kindergarten was outdoors…
Join our mission to bring education back to earth.
This we believe
Environment as the Third Teacher
In our approach, the environment is a crucial teacher alongside parents and educators. Our settings include both indoor spaces like the Light Lab and outdoor areas such as fields, creeks, and gardens. Nature serves as a powerful guide, fostering scientific inquiry and ecological understanding, as well as concepts of balance and belonging.
The 100 Languages of Children
Inspired by Loris Malaguzzi’s core ideas, we believe in offering children diverse ways to express themselves. This includes creative activities like building with clay to develop the alphabet of clay as they apply different techniques, or solving problems together, allowing them to explore and communicate through various mediums. The 100 languages represent 100 ways of knowing, promoting novelty, and the belief that ideas, truth, and events have many layers.
Constructivism
Children have more agency and possibilities when they have more power to construct knowledge by pursuing their own interests. Knowledge becomes personal, built by the learner, in a manner that is actively engaging with the environment and other participants. Constructivism is a way of learning that values the voices of the children and the transformative power of their stories in community with each other. This approach fosters empathy because it elevates collaboration, and strengthens relationships.
Creating Citizens Through Cross-Curricular Connections
We integrate various subjects to help children develop as thoughtful, capable individuals. Projects blend math, social-emotional learning, studies of diverse cultures, and other disciplines, enabling students to engage in meaningful, real-world challenges with an open mind.
Balancing Inquiry-Based and Explicit Learning
We combine hands-on, inquiry-based exploration with structured learning tools. While storytelling may come naturally, skills like writing and mathematical abstraction require deliberate practice and teaching. The integration of practiced skills into projects aims to equip our students to not only meet but often exceed state education standards.
Being co-researchers together
All participants as co-researchers within the project approach combined with beautiful outdoor spaces allow us to emphasize a STEAM education where sciences, old technology, new engineering, arts, agriculture, and mathematics can draw deeply from the ecology of forest, farm, and aquatic ecosystems.
Multi-Age Grouping and Differentiation
By grouping different ages together for some activities, we foster empathy and respect. This setup encourages collaboration, acceptance, and a deeper understanding of human development. Small group work allows us to differentiate explicit instruction to meet all learners.
Engagement and Joy
We prioritize student interests and goals, where play and exploration are powerful tools to a joyful engaged learning experience. Children build strong relationships and delight in each other's successes, enhancing the overall community spirit.
A New Leaf
past & Future
A New Leaf opened its doors in May 2005 with the first season of summer camps, and in the fall we welcomed our first preschool students. It has been an amazing journey alongside many fantastic Nashville families. Some of the children are now grown and have returned to working with us, what joy!
